HMC ML Q050
{{Short description|First of a series of 80 Type B Fairmiles built for the RCN delivered on 18 November 1941}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}}{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = HMC ML Q050.jpg | Ship caption = HMC ML "Q050" conducting anti-submarine exercises in May 1943. The large black flag indicates radio ASDIC contact. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship out of service = 10 June 1945 | Ship renamed = Stanba I (1946) | Ship reclassified = | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship in service = | Ship homeport = Gaspé, Quebec | Ship motto = | Ship nickname = | Ship honors = | Ship captured = | = | Ship notes = | Ship identification = * CML 001
| Ship recommissioned = | Ship country = Canada | Ship commissioned = | Ship acquired = 18 November 1941 | Ship completed = | Ship christened = | Ship sponsor = | Ship launched = 22 August 1941 | Ship laid down = 1 February 1941 | Ship original cost = | Ship builder = Midland Boat Works | Ship awarded = | Ship ordered = | Ship operator = *23px Royal Canadian Navy
| Ship name = | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Canada|naval-1911}} | Ship badge = | Ship class = Fairmile B Motor Launch }}{{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship sail plan = | Ship range = {{convert|1,500|mi|nmi km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn}} | Ship endurance = | Ship test depth = | Ship boats = | Ship capacity = | Ship troops = | Ship complement = 2 officers and 14 non-commissioned | Ship speed = {{convert|20|kn}} | Ship crew = 16 | Ship sensors = ASDIC | Ship EW = | Ship armament = * Upgunned sub chaser
| Ship armour = Wheelhouse plated | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship time to activate = 48 hours to reconfigure weapons | Ship propulsion = Two {{convert|650|bhp|kW|abbr=on}} Hall-Scott Defender petrol engines | Ship draught = {{convert|4|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} | Ship power = | Ship class = Fairmile B motor launch | Ship type = * Upgunned Sub Chaser
| Ship tonnage = | Ship displacement = 79 long tons | Ship length = {{convert|112|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|17|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} | Header caption = | Ship height = | Ship draft = | Ship depth = | Ship hold depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship notes = }} |
HMC ML Q050 was the first of a series of wooden Canadian-built Fairmile B motor launch (ML) boats delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 18 November 1941.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcnfairmiles.com/category/pennant-numbers-and-converted-fairmiles/q050-t0-q059|title=Fairmiles of the Royal Canadian Navy » —Q050 to Q059|language=en|access-date=2020-01-02}} Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War 80 Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ww2ships.com/britain/gb-sc-001-b.shtml|title=WW2Ships.com: Fairmile Type B Motor Launch|website=www.ww2ships.com|access-date=2020-01-02}}
Design
{{Main|Canadian Fairmile B motor launch}}
Built of double mahogany (diagonally) with an eight-inch oak keel and based on a line of destroyer hulls, the Fairmiles arrived in prefabricated kits to be assembled for the RCN by 13 different boatyards.{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1272919017|title=Steam Community :: Guide :: The Fairmile B Motor Launch|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-03}} In contrast to the British built boats, the Canadian Fairmiles were narrower, had a greater draught, and were slightly more powerful giving the Canadian boats a two knot speed advantage over the British boats.{{Cite web|url=http://jproc.ca/rrp/fairmile.html|title=Radio Research Paper - Fairmile Radio Fit|website=jproc.ca|access-date=2020-01-04}} With a fuel capacity of 2,320 gallons of 87 octane gasoline, the early Fairmiles (Q050 to Q111) were powered by two 650 hp engines, could reach a top speed of 20 knots (max), 16.5 knots sea speed and a range of 1925 miles at 7.5 knots. Later versions (Q112 to Q129) were fitted with larger 700 hp engines able to achieve a top speed to 22 knots (max), with a range of 1925 miles at 7.5 knots.{{Cite news|url=http://readyayeready.com/crowsnest/1962/1962-02.pdf|title=The Little Ships|last=Heenan, RCNR (Ret)|first=Captain Joseph A.|date=1 February 1962|work=The Crowsnest|access-date=6 January 2020}}{{Cite book|title=Allied Coastal Forces of World War II Vol 1: Fairmile designs and US submarine chasers|last=Lambert and Ross|first=John and Al|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|year=1990|isbn=0-85177-519-5|location=|pages=77–78}} Crewed by two or three officers and 14 sailors, accommodation on the Fairmiles was thought to be "cramped but comfortable".
Another unique design feature of the Fairmile B was that with 48 hours notice each boat could be reconfigured to serve in a different role. Fitted with steel strips and tapped holes to ease equipment swaps, weapons and specialist gear such as torpedo tubes, mines, depth charges, and guns could be quickly stripped and attached to the boat. In two days, a Fairmile could have its weapons and equipment reconfigured to serve as an escort, minesweeper, minelayer, navigation leader, coastal raider, patrol boat, ambulance or rescue launch. "Armament consisted of three 20mm Oerlikon guns, mounted forward, aft and amidships; two .303 machine-guns; one 9mm Sten gun; two .303 rifles; three .45 revolvers; and 20 depth-charges of 300 Ibs each, including eight fitted for the "Y" gun. Each boat was equipped with sonar, radar and WIT."
The first thirty-six Canadian Fairmile B type were designated and painted up as CML 01-36 (coastal motor launch).
Fairmile Flotillas
{{Main|Coastal Forces of the Royal Canadian Navy}}
Affectionately known as the little ships, little fighting ships, or Q-boats by their crews, during the Second World War the Fairmile B motor launches of the RCN played a vital role escorting shipping along the St. Lawrence River, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and between Newfoundland and the mainland of Canada. Regularly deployed in flotillas of six The Little Ships relieved larger escort craft urgently needed elsewhere by carrying out anti-submarine patrols, port defence and rescue duties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/the-ships/fairmile-motor-launch/|title=Fairmile Motor Launch|date=2014-04-01|website=Juno Beach Centre|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://naval-museum.mb.ca/mtbs/fairmiles-of-the-rcn/|title=Fairmiles of the RCN|publisher=Naval Museum of Manitoba|website=www.naval-museum.mb.ca|access-date=2023-09-01}} Based out of shore establishments on the St. Lawrence River, Halifax, Saint John, Shelburne, Sydney and on the West Coast; at sea the RCN Fairmile Fleets were accompanied by two "mother ships" HMCS Preserver (F94) and HMCS Provider (F100) providing fresh water, fuel and medical services.{{Cite web|url=http://jproc.ca/rrp/fairmile.html|title=Radio Research Paper - Fairmile Radio Fit|website=jproc.ca|access-date=2020-01-05}}
Operational history
While she flew the White Ensign, ML Q050 was not a commissioned ship, but rather listed as a tender to escort depot ship HMCS Sambro.{{Cite web|url=http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/MLQ050.htm|title=RCN ML Q050|website=www.forposterityssake.ca|access-date=2020-01-02}} From January to April 1944 ML Q050 was listed as part of the 71st ML Flotilla and her commanding officer Lt Alfred George Beardmore, RCNVR was assigned as the Senior Officer (S.O.) of the Flotilla. In December 1944, she was listed as part of the RCN North-West Atlantic Command Gaspé Force (Administered by N.O. i/c., Gaspé), 71st Motor Launch Flotilla.{{Cite book|title="Red List" (Part II) Minor War Vessels Abroad|last=Navy|first=Royal|publisher=Operations Division Naval Staff Admiralty|date=16 December 1944|isbn=|url=http://convoycu49-1944.com/files/RED_LIST_Part_One_-_minor_war_vessels_in_home_waters_dated_December_10_1944_master_binder_as_of_April_12_2019.pdf|pages=57–61|access-date=15 January 2020|archive-date=14 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114074550/http://convoycu49-1944.com/files/RED_LIST_Part_One_-_minor_war_vessels_in_home_waters_dated_December_10_1944_master_binder_as_of_April_12_2019.pdf|url-status=dead}}
After the war, she was sold for C$7,900 in late 1945 by the War Assets Corporation (WAC) to Marine Industries Ltd. Sorel (MIL) and returned for resale to Consolidated Shipbuilding Ltd., Morris Heights, N.Y. In 1946 she was sold to Standard Oil Bahamas Ltd. (Bermuda) and renamed Stanba I (#176991) to be used for offshore geomagnetic surveying in the Bahamas. Her final disposition is unknown.
Gallery
File:Q050-2.jpg| Launching of ML Q050, the first Fairmile of Royal Canadian Navy at Midland Boat Works, Midland, Ontario on August 28, 1941.
File:ML Q050 Howe.jpg|Minister of Munitions and Supply C.D. Howe and Capt. Joseph Heenan, Captain of the ML's, aboard ML Q050
File:Q050-SMB.jpg|ML Q050 off St-Margaret's Bay, N.S., Spring 1943
File:Q050 gaspe.jpg|ML Q050 off Gaspé, July 1942
File:Q050-iceberg.jpg|ML Q050 sails past an iceberg, date unknown
References
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Category:Royal Canadian Navy Fairmile B motor launch boats of World War II